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The draw for the women's singles category of the US Open has been released and we are in for some action-packed tennis over the next fortnight.
We have some pretty interesting matchups this year, with Serena Williams vs Anett Kontaveit being a potential second-round clash while Simona Halep and Coco Gauff could meet in the last 16.
History was made at last year's tournament, with Emma Raducanu and Leylah Fernandez competing in the first all-teenage Grand Slam final since the 1999 US Open. The Brit won to become the first qualifier to win a Major singles title in the Open Era.
Defending the title will be a daunting task for Raducanu as there are several capable of going all the way at Flushing Meadows. On that note, let's take a look at five favorites to win the women's singles tournament at the 2022 US Open:
#1. Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek has not been as dominant over the past couple of months as she was from March to June. The Pole's talent and mentality make her a heavy favorite to win the US Open and beating her will be very difficult for any player.
Having reached the fourth round of the US Open last year, she is more than capable of bettering that performance. The 21-year-old has won 30 out of 35 matches on hardcourts this season and if she is at her best, she could well go on to win her third Grand Slam singles title.
#2. Simona Halep
Simona Halep has enjoyed a season of resurgence, winning 39 out of 49 matches. The Romanian won the Cincinnati Open, which helped her return to the top 10 of the WTA rankings. She also reached the semifinals of Wimbledon and the Indian Wells Open.
The Romanian has an impressive record on hardcourts this season, winning 21 out of 26 matches. Her draw is favorable and she should have little trouble reaching the fourth round. Here, her most likely opponent is Coco Gauff, who she has already beaten a few times this season.
If Halep advances to the quarterfinals, her possible opponents include Maria Sakkari, Beatriz Haddad Maia and Caroline Garcia. She has a pretty good chance of reaching the semifinals and if she is at her best, her chances of winning a third Grand Slam title are high.
#3. Jessica Pegula
Eighth seed Jessica Pegula is the highest-ranked American in the tournament and expectations will be high for her. The 28-year-old has produced some good performances this year, reaching the final of the Madrid Open and the semifinals of the Miami Open and the Canadian Open. She also made it to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, French Open, and the Western & Southern Open.
Pegula has a good chance of reaching the US Open quarterfinals, with potential last 16 opponents including Petra Kvitova and Garbine Muguruza. If she reaches the last eight, she could potentially face World No. 1 Swiatek. Considering the Pole hasn't been dominant lately, it wouldn't be farfetched to think that the eighth seed could defeat her and make it to the semifinals. With form and the home crowd behind her, a maiden Grand Slam title is not beyond her reach.
#4. Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff is the 12th seed at the tournament and while there are some very good players she could potentially face, she will have the crowd on her side. Having reached the French Open final this year, the 18-year-old will look to impress in Flushing Meadows and go one step further in the season's final Grand Slam.
She recently reached the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open and the Silicon Valley Classic and given her talent, she has a good chance of going deep into the US Open.
#5. Ons Jabeur
Ons Jabeur has produced some impressive performances on clay and hardcourts this season and will look to do well on hardcourts as well. The Tunisian has won only two out of five matches since her run to the Wimbledon final. However, given her quality, she has a very good chance of doing well at the US Open.
Jabeur's draw should see her have little trouble in reaching the last 16. Here, she could potentially face Daria Kasatkina. Provided the fifth seed reaches the quarterfinals, her potential opponent could be second seed Anett Kontaveit, who has not been in the best of form.
